Steve Spurrier and Staff

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

It all starts with the coaching staff. Compared the rest of the SEC, South Carolina has one of the elite coaching staffs.

You can almost start and end the discussion with the Head Ball Coach himself, but when you add in Asst. Head Coach/Asst. Coach—Defense (essentially Defensive Coordinator) Ellis Johnson, you really start to see the Gamecock's advantage.

Johnson, in his brief time in Columbia, has developed a perennial Top-20 defense nationally and Top-5 defense in the SEC.

The official title of Denfesive Coordinator resides with Lorenzo Ward, who has developed one of, if not the best secondary in the SEC. (No Cameron Newton, besides Alabama, Clemson won't be the best defense you play, it's South Carolina's.)

The addition of OL coach Shawn Elliott is very noticeable with the vast improvement over the run game.

A lot of the credit goes to RB Marcus Lattimore, but you also have to attribute the ground game success to the new zone blocking scheme and read option plays that Elliott added to the Gamecock playbook.

Elliott's fire and intensity for praise and correction of his players is something Carolina has needed for a long time at the OL coaching position.

As for special teams, you know you are in good hands when you see the name Beamer on the coach's roster.

That's to take nothing away from the staff at Auburn. But let's face it, Gene Chizik is no Steve Spurrier.

As for defensive coordinator Ted Roof, in his previous stops at Minnesota and Duke, he took bottom feeder defenses and turned them into a middle of the road defense. Not too bad.

Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn made huge improvements to the offense from 2008 to 2009. If there is one area where USC and Auburn are tied, it would be the offensive geniuses.

So, as it is, USC has the advantage at head coach and defensive coordinator, and both teams tie for offensive coordinators.

Auburn's Weak Defense

Statistically so far this season, Auburn is ranked 11th out of the 12 SEC teams in yards allowed per game, and 10th in the SEC in points allowed per game.

Most teams have played at least one conference game (or BCS conference opponent) and two lesser teams.

Say what you will, but the stats don't lie. Compare Auburn to Georgia, who has played two SEC games so far against two high powered offenses in South Carolina and Arkansas, and the Bulldogs still have better defensive stats than Auburn.

Look for Carolina to employ a strategy similar to the Georgia game.

Pound the rock with RB Marcus Lattimore until Auburn can stop him and complete the short WR screens for eight yards at a time.

Then hit them with the deep ball over the top as the over-sized receivers of Alshon Jefferey and Tori Gurley.

Marcus Lattimore

This freshman RB has stormed onto the scene and currently sits as the SEC's second-leading rusher. He's also tied for the league lead in rushing TDs.

I've written a lot about Lattimore already, so I won't go on and on about his greatness.

Expect for Lattimore to once again receive the bulk of the work for the Gamecock offense to wear down the Auburn defense. The run game will open up the passing game against one of the weaker SEC defenses.

Also, the Gamecocks, especially Lattimore will play with a chip on their shoulder this week due to the recent chatter by Auburn DE Antoine Carter.

Auburn DE Antoine Carter on comparing Marcus Lattimore and Mike Dyer: "I don't think you can really compare an Auburn running back and a South Carolina running back. Because I'm an Auburn Man. So I don't see the comparison."

I agree. Lattimore has proved to be the better back that Dyer. There is no comparison.